Biden breaks promise, pardons son in Federal gun and tax cases

Washington: On Sunday night, President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who was facing convictions for federal gun and tax-related offenses. This decision spares Hunter from potential prison sentences and covers crimes committed between January 2014 and December 2024.  

Hunter was convicted of lying about his drug use while purchasing a firearm in 2018 and failing to pay over $1.4 million in taxes. The gun charges could have led to 25 years in prison, while the tax charges carried a maximum of 17 years.  

President Biden had previously promised not to use his presidential powers to benefit his family. As recently as November, the White House stated there would be no pardon for Hunter. However, Biden explained his change of heart, citing what he described as a politically motivated investigation against his son.  

“I believe in the justice system, but raw politics infected this process,” the president said in a statement.

“No reasonable person can conclude otherwise than that Hunter was singled out because he is my son.”  

Hunter’s struggles and response 

Hunter Biden has been open about his past struggles with addiction, which he says contributed to his legal troubles. He expressed gratitude for the pardon, vowing to dedicate his life to helping others battling addiction.  

“I have taken responsibility for my mistakes during my darkest days,” Hunter said. “These mistakes have been used to shame me and my family for political purposes.”  

The pardon has sparked intense political criticism. Republican lawmakers, including Representative James Comer, accused the president of protecting his son from accountability. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Comer said.  

Hunter’s legal team argued that the investigations into him were politically motivated. They released a detailed report claiming that the charges were a tool to attack President Biden during his 2020 campaign and presidency.  

Legal cases dismissed

Following the pardon, Hunter’s lawyers filed motions to dismiss his cases in both Delaware and California. A spokesperson for David Weiss, the special counsel overseeing Hunter’s prosecution, did not comment.  

The pardon adds to the list of controversial presidential pardons. Former President Donald Trump also issued pardons for family members and allies during his term, including Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law.  

AP